Dating recon: What's your game plan?

Admit it, at one time or another you have committed “dating recon.” You see the date is going south and you need extraction. You secretly reach under the table and dial your friend. On the other end, they wait for the signal. Two rings means the date is going well, three rings means it’s time to call for back-up.

I’m not quite sure when the dating scene turned into a military operation instead of a simple dinner and a movie, but here we are. Get your binoculars ready, because it’s time to discuss strategy.

The standard “I’m not feeling well” and “I have an early morning” excuses are good ways to get out of a date. But, it’s used so often that the poor fool you're ditching knows the name of that tune and gets their feelings hurt.

A better first step is getting to know your objective. With social media and the internet, nothing is out of your reach. Social profiling is an easy way to learn what a person likes, where they work and if they still live with their parents. Basically, know the enemy … I mean date. This gives you the option of canceling early or dumping them off on someone else.

Always check out the blueprint of where the date is to take place and plan an escape route. Where are the bathrooms and all the exits? Make sure to have a valid excuse to leave your date for a few minutes and get to these locations. This is where you can call your team or partner, and let them help size up the situation.

Have your date’s contact information. When a date ends badly you can easily block their incoming calls and be aware of dramatic retaliation. No need in desperate people ruining what is left of our weekend.

If all else fails, you can simply tell the person you just aren’t feeling it. It’s straight and to the point, but expect various scenarios to occur. My favorite is always the person begging for another chance. Do not be fooled by those crocodile tears. This is a special form of weaponry, used only in the most extreme cases.

If you’re not up for the planning and strategizing, try the Single in the City event on July 11. The atmosphere gives you room to breathe while still trying to scope out your target. You can get your tickets at http://single-in-the-city.eventbrite.com/.